


—be still, foolish heart

by matsuseiji



Category: A3! (Anime), A3! (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Gen, chikage appears to clown itaru as usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:02:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29422029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matsuseiji/pseuds/matsuseiji
Summary: itaru reflects on the growing affection he has for the director.
Relationships: Chigasaki Itaru/Tachibana Izumi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	—be still, foolish heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stellafleur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellafleur/gifts).



" _—you see, I really just appreciate the Director so muuuuch._ " 

Itaru's eyes snapped open, jolted awake by the intoxicated murmurs coming from the device placed next to his pillows. Though his sleep-addled brain barely grasp what was going on, it did not take long before realization hits him square and foggy recollections of what had happened during the previous night started to surface.

He looked around to confirm his bearings and was greeted by the afternoon sun, the harsh glare seeping through the curtains made him squint.

 _"I am VERY much grateful..."_ his recorded voice went on, the string of words were barely audible as he kept hiccuping in between the confession. _"She gave me so much... because of her... if not for her... I wouldn't be so goddamned happy."_

 _"We know, we know."_ Someone chimed in, the speaker's shaking voice sounded like he had been keeping himself from bursting into an uncontrollable fits of laughter. " _You love the Director, we know."_

_"Yesh! I do... she's so so so... she's so hnggg and just—"_

His face flushed a bright red, palms reflexively covering his face as if it could hide him from shame.

 _"I never thought I could live so... so..."_ The sound of retching and chairs toppling over cut off the rest of his sentence.

Conflicting feelings welled up inside him; some part was grateful that he did not complete that sentence, while the other part felt pity imagining his miserable drunken-self throwing up all that he had eaten. 

_"Someone please get us some water here!"_ He heard Tsumugi say, followed by another sound of barfing and shuffling.

_"This guy's done for. And just when the good stuff started."_

_"That's mean Banri."_

Unable to listen any further, Itaru grabbed the recorder with a groan, swiftly yet clumsily trying to turn it off. He wonders if crushing it into pieces can make up for the distress it caused him. 

"Finally awake aren't you." His roommate's voice broke through the short-lived silence, causing his ears to feel hotter than it already do.

_Of course there just has to be someone waiting to see how he would react to all of this._

" _Senpai,_ how can you betray me like this." Itaru whined, glancing towards the man who had been standing by the door with a wide grin on his face. "And here I was thinking we have some spring troupe solidarity here."

Chikage coyly tilted his head, a glimmer of mischief on his eyes.

"That was Banri's idea." The man confesses instead, revealing his accomplices. "We've been trying to wake you up but you wouldn't. Everyone thinks you're dead."

_These people really..._

"Sheesh! Agreeing to it doesn't make any difference."

A low chuckle escaped Chikage's throat, not even bothering to deny anything. _He's enjoying this, of course._

"Now, now... would you get your ass out of bed already or would you rather that Banri blast that record in the lobby?" Chikage then smiled at him. It was the kind of smile that send shivers and leaves no room for arguments. "Choice is still yours, you know."

_Tch._

"I hear ya loud and clear, just give me ten more minutes."

"I'll give you five. Don't take any more than that, you've worried the director enough." With that, the other man wordlessly left the room leaving him with no other option but to follow. 

Itaru sighed, dragging his hangover'ed body and spirit out of his bed's comforting warmth. And as if his wobbling knees weren't a testament enough of how much alcohol he seemed to have consumed, his somewhat hazy recollections of last night's affairs began to clear—giving him enough reasons to feel even more embarrassed.

* * *

He waltz into the dorm's lobby, doing his best to act like everything is normal.

However, his sluggish movements almost made him stumble and trip—if he hadn't managed to steel himself against the wall, he's sure that he's already kissing the floor in this moment. His vision remain spinning though and the painful throbbing on his temples isn't doing him any favor. 

_Gotta hold back from drinking for a while._

He mentally chastised himself for his poor decisions, but in his defense, _everyone_ was having a really good time.

"Itaru _-san_ are you okay?" It was Sakuya who noticed him first, voice laced with worry.

"You look dead man," Banri's teasing followed before Itaru could even respond, lazily lounging on the sofa next to Citron whose attention was now on him as well. He felt like suddenly sweating bullets; that duo sitting together screams danger, especially knowing that they have something on him. "Ya like the present we left on your bed?"

 _Crap._ Itaru hurriedly shot Banri and Citron a glare, who in turn gave him a knowing grin.

"A present? Is there an occasion?" Sakuya, as curious as he was innocent, asked.

"S'nothin, we just dropped some hangover meds on him." Banri winked, as if he was telling him that he saved him one. Itaru wanted to roll his eyes, but giving them a reaction is just asking the two to continue making fun of him.

"Yeah right." He says instead, throwing both Banri and Citron another glare before quickly moving towards the kitchen in hopes that they'd drop it. While he strongly believe that his very _heartwarming_ speech won't reach the ears of those who aren't present, it would be a different story if it goes out of hand and the details eventually slip out.

Besides, the director might still be around and might end up hearing them.

The sound of their giggling followed him as he steps into the kitchen, greeted by the wafting smell of herbs and perhaps spices boiling in a pot. And as if he summoned her with his mind, he found the Director standing in front of the stove with her back turned to him.

Itaru froze on the spot, his body suddenly feeling like it's bugged. 

_Move Itaru!_

If he could only slap himself right now, he would have done it already.

Feeling another presence in the kitchen, Izumi turned around, ladle in hand.

She stared at him curiously for a few seconds, before eventually slipping into a smile. "There you are."

_Damn it that smile._

"I was starting to worry when Chikage said that he'll drag you out of bed." She continues, undoing the ties on her apron, neatly folding them afterwards. "I'm glad he did not mean it literally."

Itaru grunted, remembering the little trick they did to wake him up. He's sure that it should qualify as using brute force seeing that it almost knock him out of his senses. "Let's just say that I'd pick getting drag out of bed by the foot instead."

"Huh?"

"It's nothing." Itaru turned his gaze away from her, gaze landing on the boiling pot she has on the burner. "Isn't it too early for dinner, Director?"

Izumi let out a small chuckle as she turns off the fire. "Oh this isn't dinner."

She then fetched a soup bowl, pouring some of the contents of the pot on it before laying it in front of him. The broth looks rich and savory that his empty stomach can't help but rumble at the sight.

"I heard from the others that you had a rough drinking night so I made some red ginseng soup to somehow ease your hangover." She explained, presenting him with a spoon to use. "Eat it well alright? And don't forget to hydrate yourself."

There was nothing special about her gesture, nor anything different about how she's behaving. She was being thoughtful as usual to the point that this might have felt like a routine for her already. But in that moment, Itaru felt his heart beat quicken, and along with it, were hopes and yearning for something more. 

_How long has it been since he started feeling this way?_ He wanted to ask himself despite knowing that the answer wouldn't really matter. 

"Is there something wrong, Itaru?" She asked, worried. "Do you not like it?"

"Yes... ah! I mean No... nothing's wrong... I'm just..." He blinked, forcing a smile that might have ended up looking like a grimace. "I'm just dizzy..."

 _Will she be able to tell?_

"Well, would you like some painkillers? I think I still have some in my room, let me just go and get—"

Itaru grabbed her hand without thought, a bit forcibly than he'd like to. Izumi looked at him in surprise.

"Ah, no. It's fine actually. I just need some water, and maybe some rest too." He hastily explained, hoping he did not come off as a creep for doing something so... so stupidly out of character. "Thanks for the food and the painkillers I guess... I appreciate it."

She studied his face briefly before shrugging off her confusion. "Hmm don't mention it... Just finish everything, then go back and lie down."

"Thanks." He says, looking away. 

Izumi then excused herself, saying that she still has to go out and pick up some materials from a friend. He did not say anything more to her, merely nodded his head in acknowledgment and watched her leave the kitchen in a hurry. 

"Idiot..." He muttered, quietly reprimanding himself. 

_Ah,_ he made a fool of himself again... and right in front of the director of all people. She wouldn't know the real reason, _there's no need to_. It'd be better if she just thinks that he was just feeling ill, and blame it all on the hangover. 

_Maybe one day I'd tell her_ , Itaru convinces himself.

_Or maybe never._

**Author's Note:**

> ngl this is a mess please let me just post it cause i been going back and forth with this for weeks, unable to find the voice that i want it to be written in... i have been tryna get back into writing after a long time which is a super frustrating hurdle aksldjalkjfjld anyway (alli this is for you and your itaru simping)
> 
> in one of azuma's backstage stories, he and itaru were drinking and when itaru got tipsy he started blabbering about how he feels which is cute okay and i just remembered this previous scenario in my and alli's blooming day AU where something very similar happened... kinda wanna expand on it so yeah, take this, i dont wanna look at this anymore


End file.
